Problem
Read the Research Article "Principles of Care for Young Adults With Substance Use Disorders" by Michael Silverstein, Scott E. Hadland, Eliza Hallett and Michael Botticelli.
Substance use as a society has only increased, as displayed by the substantial amount of overdoses Americans have a year. Of the people that use and abuse substances, young adults (ages 18-25) make up a large portion of them. Unfortunately, there has not been much research into substance abuse in young adults, specifically into their developmental circumstances. Consequently, this lack of research has led to a decreased amount of recommendations and guides for clinicians that care for these young adults that struggle with substance abuse.
A. How does the lack of evidence-based recommendations for clinicians that care for young adults that struggle with substance abuse affect the quality and effectiveness of the treatment that they receive? Do you think that the pandemic effects their treatment as well?
B. How can younger adults' support systems (family, friends, healthcare workers, etc.) help mitigate the lack of evidence-based treatment for substance abuse without jeopardizing the health and safety of themselves and others? Specifically, what systems and/or processes do you think should be further researched and developed for use for future substance abuse treatment in young adults?